Historical Census Populations of Counties and Cities in California

This report shows decennial census data on the population of California counties by minor civil division (usually townships) and place from 1860 to 1950, which is the period for which data on township population were published for California. This period also covers major historical developments in California’s settlement patterns and population distribution as the State’s population grew extremely rapidly in most decades, from 380,000 in 1860 to 10.6 million in 1950. Townships refer to judicial townships, and places include, for example, incorporated cities and towns, and unincorporated places. For each county, the data are shown in hierarchal fashion, with townships and their component places (or place parts). In addition, places in each county are listed in alphabetical order, with township parts where places crossed township boundaries.

Population Schedules

Note: 1950 population schedules have not been released.

Census population schedules (or "name schedules" or "manuscript census") are copies of the original questionnaires collected during each decennial census. They list the individual names and family information of the people enumerated. Unlike the statistics published soon after the census, the population schedules remain confidential for 72 years. 1930 is the most recent population schedule available.

Contact

about the 1950 census

Highlights

17th decennial census

US population: 150,697,361

California population: 10,586,223

Questions asked

Information obtained from all persons: Address; whether house is on farm; name; relationship to head of household; race; sex; age; marital status; place of birth; if foreign born, whether naturalized; employment status; hours worked during week preceding enumeration; occupation, industry, and class of worker.

Information obtained from 20-percent sample: Whether living in same house a year ago; whether living on a farm a year ago; if not in same house, county and state of residence year ago; country of birth of parents; educational attainment; school attendance; if looking for work, number of weeks; weeks worked last year; for each person and each family, earnings last year from wages and salary, from self-employment; other income last year; veteran status.

Information obtained from 3-1/3 percent sample: For persons who worked last year but not in current labor force: occupation, industry, and class of worker on last job; if ever married, whether married more than once; duration of present marital status; for women ever married, number of children ever born.

Supplemental schedules for persons on Indian reservations; infants born in the first 3 months of 1950; Americans overseas.